MANILA, Philippines — There are conflicting feelings for UP Fighting Maroons senior CJ Cansino as he is expected to make a return to the UAAP after missing the whole of last year due to injury.
Now fully recovered from an injury that happened way back in UAAP Season 84, Cansino said that he’s keeping his emotions in check.
“Sakin oo meron, merong [jitters] talaga eh. Kasi alam mo yun, may excitement, yung pressure andon. Parang, sobrang halo halo na yung feeling ko eh pero sobrang excited ako,” he said.
Cansino won’t need to worry about too much rust, though, as he was active during the Fighting Maroons’ offseason, where they ruled the annual FilOil Pre-Season Cup.
Still, Cansino looks forward to the challenging task of leading a UP team loaded with talent and youth, with the likes of freshmen Seven Gagate, Luis Pablo, Francis Lopez, among others.
“Sobrang laking challenge kasi pag bata, excited pa. Maraming kailangan ma-experience. [Pero] masaya naman ako kasi nakikinig din sila,” he said.
The 23-year-old also relished the help he gets from his older teammates as well, with older veterans like Malick Diouf, Terrence Fortea, JD Cagulangan and Harold Alarcon.
“So far, okay naman yung pagl-lead ko sakanila kasi yung mga rookies and yung mga iba kong teammates tinutulungan ako,” said Cansino.
“Yung mga rookies namin, lahat sila nakikinig naman eh. Wala naman matigas yung ulo o kaya naman parang dahil blue chip sila, alam nilang kaya nila, so tinatanggap nila yung pag-lead namin as kuyas so sobrang laking tuwa ko dahil don.”
Cansino and the rest of the Fighting Maroons begin their quest to return to UAAP glory this Sunday, October 1, against the Adamson Soaring Falcons.